Improvement in locking and stopping window-blinds



vN. PETERS. PMDTO-LITHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON D C NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WETZEL, OF MOTT HAVEN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCKING AND STOPPING WINDOW-BLINDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 48,003, dated May 30, 1865.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WETZEL, of Mott Haven, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Locking and Stopping the Slats of Window-Blinds; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure lis a back or inside view of a blind with my improvement applied Fig. 2 is avertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of one of the slats. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the arms which connect the slats with the rod.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The object of my invention is to provide for the locking of the slats of window-blinds in a closed condition, or the stopping of them at any desirable angle of opening by means of simple mechanism applied on the inside of the blind; and to this end it consists in connecting the slats at one end by means of short pivotarms to a rod, which is provided with notches in its front edge, and so attaching a springcatch to one ofthe side stiles'of the blind as to be capable of entering either ofthe said notches, and thereby holding the slats closed, or at the desired angle of opening. r

It also consists in a novel construction of the said arms and mode of securing the same to the slats and connecting them to the rod.

To enable others skilled in the art to conceed to describe it with reference to the drawings.

A are the stiles of the blind. B are the slats, their tenons b fitted to mortises in the stile A in the usual manner. These slats have each a dovetail, b, Fig. 3, cut on one end, eX-

tending about haltl the width of the slat, for the reception of the pivot-arms C, in the Vinner sides of which are provided dovetail grooves b', Fig. 4, to nt the said dovetail b. The said arms have the parts -which project beyond the inner edges ofthe slats curved inward,\as shown in Fig. l, to provide for the attachment of the rod D to their pivots c, which are cast of a piece with the said arms. The rod D consists of a light iiat piece of iron or other metal, having holes provided in it at suitable distances apart for the recep edge of the rod D, for the reception of the upper end ofthe springcatch E, the lower part of which is rmly secured by screws g g to the inner side of the stile of the blind. The rod D is also provided with a knob, b, enabling it to be easily operated to open and close the slats when the catch E is disengaged. The catch E consists of a piece of spring-steel or other metal, having its upper part curved to enable its end to enter the notches d', and is furnished with a knob, h, to afford convenience for disengaging it from the rod D.

The advantages oi' this improvement are as follows: The mechanism is so very simple that it will never get out of order. The slats, when closed and locked by the entrance of the catch into the lowest notch, d', cannot be open ed from the outside. i They can be held open at any desirable angle `to admit light, while keeping out the rays of' the sun, or rain, by bringing one of the upper notches, d', down to the point of the catch E.

-The manner of fastening the arms to the slats by driving them on the dovetails b dispenses Wholly with the use of nails or screws. Before driving on the arms I apply to the dovetail some old thick boiled linseed-oil or other suitable waterproof cement or adhesive .I material. The dovetail and groove should be struct and apply my invention, I will pro- I slightly tapered to insure their being driven on tightly.

. Wha-t I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The spring-catch E and notched rod D, applied, in combination with each other, with the stile A, and with arms G, or their equivalents, at one end of the slats, and operating substantially as herein specified.

2. The pivot-arms C, each cast of one piece with its respective pivot c, and with a dove tail groove in one side, substantially as hereyin described, to enable it to be secured to the slat without nails, screws, or other fastenings.

JOHN WETZEL.

Vitnesses:

HENRY T.'BRoWN, GEO. W. REED. 

